Single hotkey to make a screenshot immediately and save

[Dreamer]

I suggest a single hotkey <PrintScreen> or/and <ScrollLock> to make a screenshot (of desktop or active window*) immediately and save it to custom location*.

When a hotkey would be pressed, xnview should be minimized first, after creating screenshot, it could be* restored.

* - depends on settings (same as current "Capture setup" or independent)

Edit: There would be a conflict with (F11/F10...) keys, therefore I suggest to add <ScrollLock> (and <PrintScreen>) key(s) to the list of shortcuts, <ScrollLock> should be a default hotkey.

Single F1-F12 keys should be even removed.

Another idea: <Ctrl+ScrollLock> to open current "Capture setup" dialog.

This should be very easy to implement, then we could just press <Ctrl+ScrollLock>, <Enter> and key to make a screenshot <ScrollLock>?

[helmut]

I suggest a single hotkey <PrintScreen> or/and <ScrollLock> to make a screenshot (of desktop or active window*) immediately and save it to custom location*.

When a hotkey would be pressed, xnview should be minimized first, after creating screenshot, it could be* restored.

* - depends on settings (same as current "Capture setup" or independent)

Try the following:

1. Open the capture dialog using "Tools > Capture screen..."
2. In the "Capture Setup" dialog you make the following settings:
2.a. Check "Multiple capture"
2.b. Check capturing via Hotkey and remember the hotkey
2.c. Activate the option "Directory" and choose a valid output folder.
3. Confirm the dialog with "OK" button

4. Press the Hotkey for capturing.
5. Work with XnView.

Try 4 & 5, both will work.

I think this behaviour is close to what you want to achieve, but is surely just a workaround and happens to do what you expect. A good way (and not a trick or workaround) should be defined for this - as you requested.

[Drahken]

Umm.. what do you mean "workaround"? Isn't this esactly what that capture dialog/options are for? The only thing I would change about it is to enhance the naming. Make it allow for a custom name pattern (similar to batch renaming, you would specify a name format like "fun_game_screens###") and/or have it use the title/caption of the active window as the title of the screenshot.

[Dreamer]

Helmut, I know about that, of course.

The problem is that I must click the Capture button, then click OK button, every time I start xnview, then I can use F10 key or other...

When I edit image then, I must do it again (2 steps above).

[helmut]

Helmut, I know about that, of course.

O.k. (I didn't know until now.)

The problem is that I must click the Capture button, then click OK button, every time I start xnview, then I can use F10 key or other...

When I edit image then, I must do it again (2 steps above).

Right, when thinking about it the capturing is pretty weird:
When selecting menu "Tools > Capture screen", it's actually more or less a dialog with capturing options showing up. In this dialog "Capture Setup" you set how capturing works and trigger capturing by confirming the dialog with "OK". So pretty much of a mixture.

This mixture is not too bad as often capturing settings have to be adjusted and/or showing the setting helps the user remembering hot key and active settings. But for multi-capturing, the handling has to be improved a bit. As you and klumy have suggested, the capturing hotkey should be active by default.

The fact that screen capturing can be triggered at any time using the hotkey should be made clearer somehow, but at the moment I haven't got an idea how.

[helmut]

Umm.. what do you mean "workaround"? Isn't this exactly what that capture dialog/options are for?

As written above, to me it was a bit of a surprise that capturing works always using the hotkey (even if delay is checked).

The only thing I would change about it is to enhance the naming. Make it allow for a custom name pattern (similar to batch renaming, you would specify a name format like "fun_game_screens###") and/or have it use the title/caption of the active window as the title of the screenshot.

That's good suggestions. There could be the known "Insert >>" button for inserting enumerators "#" and placeholder like 'Window title', 'Window width', 'Window height', and 'Current date and time'.

[Drahken]

If you do a lot of screenshots, I would suggest a dedicated prog such as GrabClipSave: http://www.boumchalak.net/content/view/19/40/
GCS Is a small prog that can automatically save screens to a given location in either BMP, JPG, or PNG format (the website only mentions BMP and JPG, but the prog does have an option for PNG as well). You can customize the capture keys and choose advanced naming options. GCS is small and minimzes to the tray, so you can easily keep it running all the time.

GrabClipSave Has been superceded by GrabCaptureScreen: http://www.boumchalak.net/content/view/18/39/ but I like GrabClipSave better because it's small, yet has all the features one might need in a capture tool.

[helmut]

If you do a lot of screenshots, I would suggest a dedicated prog such as GrabClipSave:...

Thank you for pointing to GrabClipSave. My favourite is the also free MWSnap, see topic Screenshot with region of screen.

Sure enough, XnView's core business is not screen capturing. Also, there's many good and free screen capturing tools out there, already.
So we should find a good balance of effort put into XnView and use. Making the hotkey for screen capturing always active would be a good thing which should not be too much effort.

[Dreamer]

So we should find a good balance of effort put into XnView and use. Making the hotkey for screen capturing always active would be a good thing which should not be too much effort.

Exactly. I don't use it very often, so I don't want use another program for that.

Edit: There would be a conflict with (F11/F10...) keys, therefore I suggest to add <ScrollLock> (and <PrintScreen>) key(s) to the list of shortcuts, <ScrollLock> should be a default hotkey.

Single F1-F12 keys should be even removed.

Another idea: <Ctrl+ScrollLock> to open current "Capture setup" dialog.

This should be very easy to implement, then we could just press <Ctrl+ScrollLock>, <Enter> and key to make a screenshot <ScrollLock>?

[helmut]

I'd like to push this matter and focus people (especially Pierre) on this enhancement:
For various users, XnView screen capturing is sufficient. But as long as the hotkey is not triggerable right after program start, the usability of screen capturing is limited.

Combined with "Minimize to Systray" XnView would become a neat, simple screenshot alternative.

[Dreamer]

With these command line optionsit would be perfect. It has been suggested almost one year ago, but no reply till now.

I have edited / improved that topic now. Is it possible to implement such options? Would it be useful for anyone (except myself)???

[helmut]

With these command line optionsit would be perfect.

I guess you mean all enhancements together which would make it perfect:
a - hotkey which is active at program start
b - Minimize to systray
c - command line option for capturing

Resident tool
This could be developed further and completed with the following enhancement:
d - An option or command line parameter which minimizes XnView at program start. (Only when started without image as parameter).

Users could add XnView to the "Autostart" menu and XnView could be loaded during Windows start-up. This way XnView could become a resident tool (for some users) which runs permanently in background, minimized to systray, ready to capture screens or be at hand immediately (XnView starts-up quickly, already, but this might be even faster).

Evolution
The nice thing is that these enhancements can be added gradually and add value to XnView step-by-step.

[Dreamer]

I guess you mean all enhancements together which would make it perfect:
a - hotkey which is active at program start
b - Minimize to systray
c - command line option for capturing

Right.

Resident tool
This could be developed further and completed with the following enhancement:
d - An option or command line parameter which minimizes XnView at program start. (Only when started without image as parameter).

Users could add XnView to the "Autostart" menu and XnView could be loaded during Windows start-up. This way XnView could become a resident tool (for some users) which runs permanently in background, minimized to systray, ready to capture screens or be at hand immediately (XnView starts-up quickly, already, but this might be even faster).

This might be even an alternative to the command line options request. XnView desktop shortcut with the keyboard shortcut - same as capture shortcut would be almost the same as that request - it would be possible to press this shortcut and then press the same shortcut again to capture.

Command line option(s) would be better though, one click less, auto-close xnview and perhaps also easier to implement.

[helmut]

...
This might be even an alternative to the command line options request. XnView desktop shortcut with the keyboard shortcut - same as capture shortcut would be almost the same as that request - it would be possible to press this shortcut and then press the same shortcut again to capture.

I see you have understood the way this would work.

Command line option(s) would be better though, one click less, auto-close xnview and perhaps also easier to implement.

As written in the "command line" topic, command line options are more flexible, but are for more experienced users, only. Features in XnView must be obvious and accessible easily, so an option "Minimize to System tray" combined with "Minimize at program start (Autostart)" would be best for most users. "Perfect and complete" would be all the above plus the command line options .

It would be a good and important step if "a - hotkey which is active at program start" was available in next release.

[Dreamer]

It would be a good and important step if "a - hotkey which is active at program start" was available in next release.

Right, a custom hotkey / shortcut, if possible. Also Print Screen or/and Scroll Lock keys (and combinations Alt+, Ctrl+...) should be available. I think two (custom) hotkeys / shortcuts should be available, one for desktop and one for active window.

Important thing is whether these hotkeys would be global, or not. If so, F keys (F1-F12) shouldn't be used - and the hotkey(s) should be global, since xnview will be minimized - not active, so non-global hotkeys might not work.

Perhaps these hotkeys might be used (by default):

Print Screen - to capture desktop
Alt+Print Screen - to capture active window

If not possible, then perhaps Scroll Lock instead of Print Screen.